If the Bills are considering taking an edge rusher with a giant upside in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft, Penn State’s Jayson Oweh has to be one they’re looking at every which way.
His explosiveness and tremendous raw skills likely have him on most team’s draft boards as a first-round prospect even though his instincts haven’t been fully developed yet because of inexperience.
Oweh is entering the draft at age 22 following a redshirt sophomore season in which he had zero sacks and still is ranked at or near the top of the class at his position.
This is because of his quick-twitch skills that in the right system can be devastating if properly developed.
Oweh was a first-team Big Ten selection after recording career highs in tackles (38) and tackles for losses (6.5) in the Nittany Lions’ abbreviated, nine-game season, of which he played in just seven because of an undisclosed injury that kept him out of the last two.
Whatever it was appeared to be healed by the time Penn State held its Pro Day last week, when Oweh dazzled with a time of 4.36 in the 40 and a 39.5-inch vertical jump. This is a 6-foot-5 prospect with an arm length of 34.5 inches who has increased his weight to 257 pounds.
Just for perspective, the fastest 40 time Bills top cornerback Tre’Davious White ever ran at the Scouting Combine or his Pro Day was 4.47 seconds.
That said, Oweh will need time to find his niche. He likely wouldn’t be more than a situational pass rusher for his first year or two.
In the Pro Football Newtwork’s scouting report on Oweh, Ian Cummings points out how Oweh’s burst “is a problem for linemen. More often than not, he can get a step on blockers right away. Once he has that leverage, he has the torso flexibility and bend to dip inside and crash the pocket. Teams frequently defaulted to quick passes just to combat Oweh’s speed as a pass rusher.
“Oweh’s explosiveness is one of his most crucial traits, but his length also supplements his burst well. Oweh is still figuring out how to use his length effectively, but that length allows him to keep himself clean against linemen.
“His hands also bring the same speed he molds his game around, although they can be more powerful. Stronger blockers can negate Oweh when they get their mitts on him, but he has a skill set which allows him to elude and shed contact. On top of his explosiveness and flexibility around the edge, Oweh is also incredibly twitchy and abrupt with his lateral movements.”
Oweh is trending up as the Draft approaches.
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro.